Does it make sense to buy a PC while waiting for Macintels?

[johnbro23]

I'm off to college in 2006, and I'm pretty much going to have to buy a laptop. The eMac I have right now just isn't going to cut it.

I'd hate to buy a PB G4 when PB Pentium M's are right around the corner. If I bought the G4, my resale value would go down a ton because I can't see PB G4's to be in demand at all.

So I'm starting to think that a PC laptop would be my best bet. The resale will be respectable, and it will get me through my first year or so of college until the Macintels come out.

What do you think? I know I'll miss my Mac... possibly I could just take the eMac for the dorm so I'm not completely Macless.

 

[jsw]

If you're not off to college until 2006, why not wait to see what's announced early 2006? The current prediction is that the portables will go Intel first.

 

[mad jew]

Hmm... You really wanna go back to PCs?

If you get an iBook as an interim laptop, you won't lose so much in resale value assuming much will really be lost anyway.

Remember, computers are meant to be outdated very early. The fact that IBM and Motorola haven't delivered on the processor front in the past few years means that we're used to Apples that remain competitive for years and years. This is not a good thing. We want the PowerBook to be superseded often because it means that Apple is progressing.

 

[Rocksaurus]

I'm not sure why you need a laptop for college, I don't have one and I'm just dandy. A PC laptop will depreciate a lot more in resale value than a Mac laptop, but honestly if I were you I'd just stick it out with the eMac until you can get your hands on a Pentium M Mac.

 

[RacerX]

I'd hate to buy a PB G4 when PB Pentium M's are right around the corner. If I bought the G4, my resale value would go down a ton because I can't see PB G4's to be in demand at all.

What gives you that idea?

There are going to be many people who have a major investment is PowerPC software that are going to be willing to pay top dollar for a second hand PowerPC Mac once Apple stops selling them new.

It would be less expensive to buy a used PowerPC system than to move to an Intel system and have to upgrade their existing software. And that is assuming that there is going to be upgrades to their existing software... which early on may not be the case.



But if this is all that it takes to make you move to a Windows system, then you have little or no reason to stay anyways... go and do what you want.

 

[johnbro23]

Hopefully portables are announced first, but unless PBs are announced at WWDC 2006, I'm going to have to make this decision right before school starts. I might get an iBook, or I might go for a PC and just bring my eMac with me to college.

 

[johnbro23]

I'm not sure why you need a laptop for college, I don't have one and I'm just dandy. A PC laptop will depreciate a lot more in resale value than a Mac laptop, but honestly if I were you I'd just stick it out with the eMac until you can get your hands on a Pentium M Mac.

Yea, thats another option. I just figured a laptop was necessary for college. Maybe I'm wrong.

And that makes sense about resale not going down because of software. I'm still on the fence with all three of my options. I'm just hoping I don't have a tough decision and Apple announces Intel PB's at WWDC 2006.

 

[wdlove]

Just can't imagine anyone purchasing a PC laptop. You could try a refurb PB or iBook to tide you over.

 

[mcarnes]

Get a new 12" iBook with edu discount. I've sold a lot of stuff on ebay and I bet you will be able to sell it in 12-18 months for about $300 less than you paid. You will lose more on a PC, imho.

 

[tsk]

Get a new 12" iBook with edu discount. I've sold a lot of stuff on ebay and I bet you will be able to sell it in 12-18 months for about $300 less than you paid. You will lose more on a PC, imho.

I'd personally avoid the iBook. It seems to take a larger percentage hit in price IMO. I've seen 1GHz models with Applecare going in the $700 range.

But I also think a PC will lose a lot of value.

It seems to me that the 12" PB holds its price the best. But I really don't know what the Intel thing will do to future resale.

 

[macbaseball]

Why can't you just get a used dual G4 Power Mac to use until college. I'm sure there will be new PB in the fall of 2006, and the Power Mac will hold you over. It will be a better machine than the eMac. You can get a good used 1.25 for probably $700, minus the probably $250+ for your eMac. That leaves you with $450 now, which I'm sure you can get back when you sell it. The dual 1.25 was a solid machine if my memory is correct, and the resale value has already dropped so much that you're unlikely to lose much.

 

[Demon Hunter]

Yeah, be assured that any PC you buy will depreciate many times faster than even the consumer-based iBook. So don't count on getting anything back on that purchase.

I'm confident that the 7447A in my PowerBook will last a long time, and get a great resale value (although I may never sell it). Remember, processor speed isn't the only thing that affects resale value, especially with Macs. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is what it boils down to:

Mac resale value...
- 30% love (people still love their old Pismo PowerBooks)
- 30% niche market (lower supply creates higher value)
- 20% design (Pentium M or not, the design is #1)
- 20% technology (ram, cpu, etc.)

PC resale value...
- 100% technology

 

[Jo-Kun]

Does it make sense to buy a PC while waiting for Macintels?

No it doesn't ;-)







in a way I really don't understand what's the big deal here...

if I buy a computer... it has to last at least 4y, regardless of what new stuff comes out... and when those 4y are over and the computer has been put to good use... I don't even care if nobody want's it or not... if its worth 0$ I propbably wleave it around as backup system... file/printerserver... bookstand hehe

so if I would be in the market for a laptop I would seek the best mac deal I can do now in hardware/price value, yes new ones will be out in a few months followed by other revs later on... but I wouldn't look at that... just buy it now and let it lats its normal life and then when that period is passed... check for something new again...

but that's my idea

J

 

[Rocksaurus]

Yea, thats another option. I just figured a laptop was necessary for college. Maybe I'm wrong.

And that makes sense about resale not going down because of software. I'm still on the fence with all three of my options. I'm just hoping I don't have a tough decision and Apple announces Intel PB's at WWDC 2006.

Take my word for it you don't NEED a laptop for college.
However, having used a desktop 2 years now I do on occasion get a hankering for some portability. The point is, wait it out if you can, because it'll be WELL worth it. If you get a Pentium M PB, I'll be jealous.